Grzegorz Berendt is an Associate Professor at the University of Gdańsk, where he is affiliated with the Faculty of History and the Institute of History. His research focuses on Eastern European history, particularly the experiences of Jewish communities in Poland during the 20th century. Key aspects of his work include Polish-Jewish relations during the Holocaust, the extermination of Jews in Polesie, and the policies of the Polish People's Republic toward Jewish populations. Berendt's scholarly output examines themes such as Jewish cultural associations under communist rule, regional histories (e.g., Gdańsk Pomerania), and post-WWII societal transformations. His publications analyze political regimes, diaspora dynamics, and identity preservation, reflecting a consistent emphasis on: Socio-political impacts of totalitarian regimes Jewish organizational resilience State-minority relations in Eastern Europe
Ewa Domańska is a Professor at Adam Mickiewicz University and a visiting professor in the Department of Anthropology/Archaeology Center/DLCL at Stanford University since 2002. She is affiliated with the Center for Russian, East European & Euroasian Studies at Stanford and holds a 2024 Reinhart Koselleck Visiting Professorship at Bielefeld University. Research Interests: Historiography, posthumanist history, environmental history, genocide studies, and non-anthropocentric approaches to the past. Research Trends: Her recent work focuses on the intersection of history, ecology, and ethics, particularly through projects exploring the Anthropocene, mass graves, and multispecies heritage. She leads the PRELUDIUM BIS grant on the water heritage of the Warta River (2021-2025) and has participated in international projects like "Unruly Heritage" and "My Favourite Things." Scientific Awards: 2024 Złoty Krzyż Zasługi for historical knowledge dissemination 2024 Joachim Lelewel Award for contributions to historiography 2023 Gold Medal for Long-term Service Multiple rectoral awards for teaching and research International fellowships (Fulbright, Kościuszkowski, Civic Education Project) Academic Leadership: She coordinates editorial work for projects like Humanistyka prewencyjna and has chaired panels for prestigious initiatives. Her editorial roles span journals such as History and Theory and Journal of Genocide Research . Labs & Teams: Founder of the Resilience Academic Team (RAT), she collaborates with institutions like the University of Iceland, Arctic University of Norway, and the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna.
Dr. Ewa Wiatr serves as Assistant Professor at the Philip Friedman Centre for Jewish Studies within the Institute of History, Faculty of Philosophy and History at the University of Lodz. Her academic work centers on Holocaust historiography with specialized focus on the Łódź Ghetto and Jewish cultural heritage in Poland. Her research interests encompass Holocaust studies, Jewish history in Eastern Europe, and the socio-cultural dynamics of the Łódź Ghetto during World War II. She investigates primary sources including ghetto administration documents, survivor testimonies, and Yiddish literature to reconstruct Jewish life under Nazi occupation and post-war revival efforts. Her work particularly examines Jewish resistance mechanisms, cultural preservation, and the administrative structures within the Łódź Ghetto. Analysis of her 41 publications reveals consistent thematic concentration on Łódź Ghetto documentation, with recent works expanding into institutional histories of Jewish studies centers and post-war cultural anthologies. Her scholarship demonstrates methodological emphasis on archival excavation, oral history, and interdisciplinary approaches connecting history with literary studies. Dr. Wiatr maintains active academic engagement through the Philip Friedman Centre for Jewish Studies, where she contributes to research initiatives documenting Jewish life in Łódź. Her work supports institutional efforts in Holocaust education and preservation of Jewish cultural memory through primary source publication projects.
Stefano Redaelli is a Professor at the University of Warsaw in the Artes Liberales faculty. He serves as the Coordinator for First-Degree Studies in Mediterranean Culture. His academic journey spans both humanities and exact sciences. Habilitation (2017): Thematic cycle on intersections between humanistic and scientific culture in 20th-21st century Italian literature PhD in Humanities (2011): Literary representations of madness in Mario Tobino, Alda Merini, and Carmelo Samonà Master in Writing (2006, University of Siena) PhD in Physics (2003, University of Warsaw): Chaos and noise in solar wind flow Master in Physics (1994, University of L’Aquila) Research Interests focus on: Contemporary Italian literature Medical humanities and illness narratives Intersections between science and literature Madness in literary discourse Therapeutic writing and creativity Interdisciplinary translation studies Publications highlight trends in: Mental health narratives (2022-2023) Science-literature interface (2016-2019) Dantean and Holocaust intertextuality (2017) Mathematical poetics (2016) Grants include: NCN Opus 16 (2019-2023): Madness post-Basaglia Law NCN Sonata 4 (2013-2016): Science-humanities dialogue Visiting Fellowships : 2025: University of Pisa 2024: University G. D’Annunzio di Chieti (Psychology faculty) 2021: University G. D’Annunzio di Chieti (Humanities faculty)
Katarzyna Liszka is an Assistant Professor at the Taube Department of Jewish Studies at the University of Wrocław. She has held teaching roles at multiple institutions since 2008, including the Lower Silesian Higher School of Economics, the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, and the Institute for Culture Studies at her alma mater. She co-founded the Association of Education and Civic Initiatives 'Chiazm,' organizing events focused on Holocaust-related issues and ethical memory. Education: She earned her MA in cultural studies, philosophy, and Jewish Languages and Culture at the University of Wrocław. Research interests: Her work centers on Holocaust studies, modern Jewish philosophy, and the ethical dimensions of traumatic memory. She investigates how Jewish theology and philosophy inform responses to the Holocaust, emphasizing non-consensual democracy, cultural anthropology, and the intersection of trauma and dialogue. Key areas include socio-political ethics, human rights frameworks, and the role of testimony in memorializing catastrophic events. Her research trends consistently address Holocaust memory, ethical labor division in post-catastrophe societies, and philosophical dialogues on human nature. Recent publications analyze cultural symbolism (e.g., Jewish figurines in Poland) and trauma representation through interdisciplinary lenses. Scientific Awards: Grant from the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies (FU Berlin) for research project 'Responses to the Holocaust. Post-Holocaust Jewish and Non-Jewish Thought in American Culture.' Advising and Grants: While no specific advisees are listed, her grant-funded work highlights mentorship through collaborative research projects. She has engaged with international teams in Berlin, Vilnius, and across Poland, advancing topics like pragmatist aesthetics and non-consensual democracy. Her teaching and civic initiatives reflect a commitment to bridging academic and community engagement. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Centre for Legal Education and Social Theory in Berlin and the Polish Cultural Studies Society. Co-organized seminars like 'Czytanie Margalita' and 'Cultura Lectionis,' addressing post-Holocaust theology and modern cultural theory. A key member of interdisciplinary Holocaust research networks.
Dr. Grzegorz Misiura is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Research on the History of the Catholic University of Lublin (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin). His work focuses on the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland post-1918, Lublin Diocese history, and the history of the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL). Education: PhD in History from John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin His research examines clergy-organist networks in Lublin, post-war academic recovery, and institutional archival practices. Recent publications analyze collaborations between Bishop Stefan Wyszyński and organists, KUL's academic rights journey, and private archives of Catholic scholars. Key projects include: Ministry of Education-funded source edition of Rev. Prof. Józef Kruszyński's Memoirs Electronic Archive of the Center for Research on John Paul II's Thought Historical monograph of KUL's Scientific Society He serves as editorial secretary for Polish Diaspora Studies and is a member of the 'Polish Community' Association.
Dr hab. Anna Maziarczyk is a Professor at the Department of Romance Languages, Faculty of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. She serves as Chair of the Quality Assurance Team for Romance and Italian Studies and leads editorial committees for Lublin Studies in Modern Languages and Literature . PhD studies at UMCS Specialized training at École de Hautes Études Commerciales (Lille, France) Her research focuses on: Contemporary French & Francophone literature Narrative structures & unreliable narration Ecocritical fiction Intermediality & intertextuality War trauma in literary representation Ludic elements in modern novels Her recent publications analyze narrative strategies in works by Éric Chevillard, Éric Laurrent, Ahmadou Kourouma, Alain Mabanckou, and Gilles Rozier. Key themes include ecological storytelling, childhood perspectives in conflict zones, and metafictional techniques. She has received multiple Rector's Awards for high-impact publications and coordinates the implementation of specialized French business language programs developed with École de Hautes Études Commerciales du Nord. 2018: National Education Commission Medal 2018, 2020 (twice), 2022: UMCS Rector's Awards for scientific articles Active in international collaboration through Erasmus and specialized training programs with French institutions.
Dr. Małgorzata Gorczyńska is a researcher at the University of Wrocław's Institute of Polish Philology , affiliated with the Department of Polish Literature of the 20th and 21st Centuries . Her work focuses on modernist and contemporary Polish poetry, particularly the oeuvre of Tomasz Różycki and Bolesław Leśmian, employing non-hermeneutic and sensory analytical frameworks. Research Interests : Non-hermeneutic verse analysis, intertextuality in Różycki's works, somatic metaphors, Czech-Polish literary exchanges, and sensory representation in Polish modernism. Publications highlight studies on litanic forms, philosophical theodicies in poetry, and critical reception of Leśmian's modernism. Collaborative works include edited volumes like Wyobraźnia i pedanteria (2008). Methodology bridges cognitive theory, cultural studies, and literary semiotics, notably in analyzing Gumbrecht's theoretical frameworks and their application to Polish poetry.
Rev. Dr. Andrzej Kwaśniewski is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Church Archives, Libraries and Museums (ABMK) of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. His work focuses on Church history, archival science, and the intellectual culture of religious orders in Poland. Affiliation : John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin Academic Rank : Assistant Professor Research Themes : Church archives, sermons, religious orders, biblical reception, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth history His research spans medieval to modern historical sources, including memoirs, book collections, and diaries. He has collaborated with institutions like the Abraham J. Heschel Center for Catholic-Jewish Relations and the Archdiocesan Archives in Gniezno . Scientific memberships include the Polish Society for Eighteenth Century Studies (2025), Polish Society of Seventeenth Century Researchers (2024), and the Society of Friends of Diocesan Archives in Kielce (since 2012). He has managed and contributed to Ministry of Education and Science-funded projects, including Modern Literature of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher in Poland (2024), and analyzed the wartime losses of church archives in Kielce diocese (2023).
Karolina Maria Kotkowska is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. Her academic career centers on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of esoteric studies, intellectual history, and cultural phenomena with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. Her educational background includes degrees in pedagogy, ethnology, and philosophy. She earned her Ph.D. in Philosophy with distinction from the Jagiellonian University in 2021, with a doctoral dissertation on Polish theosophy. Her academic journey includes a six-month internship at the HHP Centre at the University of Amsterdam funded through her National Science Centre Etiuda 4 grant. Dr. Kotkowska's research primarily explores Western esotericism, with particular emphasis on Theosophy and the Theosophical Society in Poland and globally. Her work investigates the boundaries between scientific discourse and occultism at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, new religious movements from a comparative perspective, and the role of esoteric ideas in shaping cultural phenomena. She employs intellectual history as her primary methodology to examine alternative spirituality and its cultural manifestations. Her extensive publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output across multiple journals and edited volumes, with a clear focus on Central and Eastern European esoteric traditions. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary relevance, examining how esoteric ideas continue to influence modern culture. The thematic progression of her research shows increasing sophistication in methodology and expanding geographical scope, from specifically Polish contexts to broader Central and Eastern European frameworks. Doctoral dissertation defended with distinction at Jagiellonian University National Science Centre Etiuda 4 scholarship recipient Coordinator of EU-funded CEMORY project (2025-2027) Project leader for National Science Centre grants (Sonata 19, Opus 23, Preludium 6) Co-founder of CEENASWE (Central and Eastern European Network for the Academic Study of Western Esotericism) Co-founder of Polish Association for the Study of Western Esotericism Dr. Kotkowska leads multiple significant research projects including the EU-funded 'Central European Memory of the Holocaust in a Multicultural and Multidimensional Perspective' (CEMORY) as coordinator, and several National Science Centre projects including 'Blurred Boundaries Between Scientific and Occult Discourse at the Turn of the 20th Century' and 'Theosophical Pedagogy: Relationships of a 19th-Century Project to Spirituality and Educational Theory.' She has established herself as a key figure in her field through her organizational roles in academic networks and editorial contributions to scholarly publications. As a co-founder and board member of CEENASWE (the Central and Eastern European Network for the Academic Study of Western Esotericism) and the Polish Association for the Study of Western Esotericism, Dr. Kotkowska has helped establish institutional frameworks for esoteric studies in the region. Her work connects with the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE), positioning her research within broader international scholarly conversations.
Dr. Adam Sitarek serves as Assistant Professor and Head of the Philip Friedman Centre for Jewish Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy and History, University of Lodz. His academic career centers on Jewish history with specialized expertise in the Łódź Ghetto during World War II. His research focuses on: Holocaust Studies Jewish History World War II History Social History Urban History History of Łódź Dr. Sitarek has published 34 scholarly works examining Holocaust-era Jewish communities, particularly through primary source analysis of diaries and archival materials from the Łódź Ghetto period. His research integrates social history methodologies with cultural analysis of Jewish life under Nazi occupation. As academic leader of the Philip Friedman Centre for Jewish Studies, he directs research initiatives and scholarly programs focused on Jewish history and Holocaust studies. His 4 research projects and 9 academic activities demonstrate sustained scholarly engagement with this critical historical period.
Dr. Stefan Marcinkiewicz is a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. His research specializes in historical sociology, post-war memory studies, and social integration dynamics in the Masurian region of Poland. Historical Analysis: Examines WWII concentration camps like Sammellager Bogusze and Stalag IB Prostken through Operation Reinhardt and Soviet POW experiences. Memory Studies: Investigates local memory of execution sites in Kosówka and myth-making in wartime literature. Post-War Trauma: Analyzes population displacement, cultural assimilation, and marginalized identities in Ełk County after 1945. Contemporary Issues: Studies digital sociology, anti-immigrant discourse, and social integration challenges. His recent work focuses on transitional justice, leadership model evolution, and the interplay between historical trauma and modern identity politics. Dr. Marcinkiewicz contributes to understanding how digital spaces reshape social structures and migration patterns.
Marta Cobel-Tokarska is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Sociology of Culture within the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education in Warsaw, Poland. With a PhD in sociology from the School of Social Sciences, IFiS PAN and a Master's degree in Romance Philology from the University of Warsaw, she has established herself as a prominent scholar focusing on Central Europe and related cultural phenomena. PhD: sociology, School of Social Sciences, IFiS PAN Master's Degree: Romance Philology, Faculty of Modern Languages, University of Warsaw Her research interests span Central Europe, cultural anthropology, sociology of culture, sociology of literature, sociology of everyday life, sociology of space, and the social history of the Polish People's Republic. Dr. Cobel-Tokarska has developed a distinctive interdisciplinary approach that bridges sociology, cultural studies, and historical analysis, with particular attention to memory studies and postcolonial perspectives in the Central European context. Her publication record shows a strong focus on Central European identity formation, Jewish wartime experiences in Poland, literary representations of regional identity, and the sociology of urban spaces. Notable recent works include research on Minsk's urban identity, Polish postcolonial thought regarding Central and Eastern Europe, and analyses of Ziemowit Szczerek's conceptualization of Central Europe. Her influential book 'Desert Island, Burrow, Grave' examines wartime hiding places of Jews in occupied Poland through an anthropological lens. Member of Polish Sociological Association (PTS) Research projects funded by Narodowy Program Rozwoju Humanistyki Multiple collaborative projects with institutions across Central Europe Dr. Cobel-Tokarska has secured several research grants, including the Narodowy Program Rozwoju Humanistyki for translating her monograph on Jewish hiding places into English, and projects on niche tourism from Poland to Central and Eastern European countries, with a focus on Ukraine. Her work demonstrates strong collaborative tendencies, frequently partnering with scholars like Marcin Dębicki, Anna Pokrzywa, and Magda Prokopczuk. Outside academia, she is a certified Beskid guide and instructor at the Student Mountain Club, with additional interests in literature and travel that complement her scholarly focus on Central European cultural landscapes.
SWPS University of Social Sciences and HumanitiesPoland
Prof. Dr. Hab. Maja Lis-Turlejska is a clinical psychologist affiliated with the Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw at SWPS University. Specializing in traumatic stress, she has authored foundational books including Traumatic Stress: Concepts and Research (1998) and Traumatic Events and Their Psychological Effects (2005). Research Focus: Prevalence of PTSD in clinical and general populations, long-term psychological effects of World War II, social recognition of trauma, and psychosocial service development. Recent Publications (2020–2012) emphasize intergenerational trauma mechanisms, cultural adaptation of assessment tools, and post-disaster policy frameworks. Her work spans mixed-methods studies, psychometric validation, and longitudinal analyses of trauma survivors' well-being.
Krzysztof Rybak is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Artes Liberales, University of Warsaw , and serves as the Secretary of the Laboratory for Semiotics . His work bridges Children's and Young Adult Literature , Classical Reception Studies , and Holocaust Representation , with a focus on critical pedagogy in children's media. Education: PhD in Humanities (Literary Studies, University of Warsaw, 2023); Master's in Cultural Studies – Mediterranean Civilization (University of Warsaw, 2017); Postgraduate studies in Children's and Young Adult Literature (University of Warsaw, 2016). Rybak’s research interests include the portrayal of the Holocaust in Polish children's literature, the role of myth and classical archetypes (e.g., labyrinths in ghetto narratives), and critical approaches to informational picturebooks. He has extensively analyzed the ideological underpinnings of texts addressing environmental crises and historical trauma. His recent publications explore activity books as tools for critical thinking, eco-normative depictions in wimmelbooks, and the interplay of fact and fiction in pandemic-themed children's media. These works often employ narratology , postmemory , and whole book approach frameworks. Scientific awards include the Minister of Science Scholarship for outstanding young scientists (2024) and the START Scholarship (2024). He also managed the NCN Preludium Grant on 21st-century children's information books. Rybak contributes to the European Children's Literature Research Network and collaborates with the Centre for Research on Children’s and Young Adult Literature , emphasizing interdisciplinary methodologies in his analysis of visual and textual elements.
